August 06, 2014

And here is the final page of Tadpole's first year album. I will be filling in a few details now that the photo has been posted.

My thoughts on this project? I loved it. I did make it more difficult than it needed to be by insisting on So Much Journaling. However as I was trying to capture lots of details about his first year, it had to be done that way to make me happy. That did make it take much longer and I was behind more than I liked (which sometimes made it hard to remember what I was trying to capture.) I did also start a traditional calendar year album at the beginning of January so was trying to run two at the same time for about seven weeks with as few duplicates as possible. That was complicated! It helps though that the other album (Project Life Honey) has a lot less journaling and I have now inserted all of the cards for the entire year as suggested in one of the "how to get started" posts I read. Now all I do is choose, print, and insert my photos and journal if/when some detail speaks to me. Much easier, and yet I'm still way behind. I'll get it all sorted out though and find my groove...hopefully before 2015 rolls around! I'm definitely a fan. :-)

Created by Becky Higgins, "Project Life provides an ultra-simple solution that helps us get those pictures into albums without draining our time, energy, and wallets." Learn more about it here.

Oh week fifty-three. You know there are lots of pictures this week! Some messy pictures showing off my favorite foods right now...one imitating one of my "birth story" pictures holding my daddy's hands...sitting in a basket for my official one year photo shoot...

Oh look, Mommy put in an insert. We get my offical doctor and unofficial home statistics...

And I am very confused by all the attention I'm getting but boy is it fun to feed myself this cupcake thing!

I've got presents and more cupcakes and I finish with one of G's special cookies that is just like the ones she gave everyone when I was born. I am so very loved (and lucky)!

Created by Becky Higgins, "Project Life provides an ultra-simple solution that helps us get those pictures into albums without draining our time, energy, and wallets." Learn more about it here.

I should mention that Tad had an interesting morning. We went to the playground and in the first five minutes he managed to run right into a piece of metal and gash his head open just below his right eyebrow. We did get it cleaned up and spent some time watching some construction equipment which was Lots Of Fun. However Mommy and Daddy did decide to stop at the doctor's office since we had to drive past it on the way home. They got us right in and Dr. Rosser did use some glue after cleaning it up again. Tadpole got lots of praise for behaving so well and it will get checked out next Tuesday when we go in for our eighteen month checkup. Since Daddy had to leave us there to go to a job interview, Auntie P came to pick us up. Tadpole was very glad to see his Auntie since she had been on vacation and it had been almost a whole week!

Now for week forty-eight...

I can't believe how big he keeps getting...and he looks so little here compared to NOW.

Created by Becky Higgins, "Project Life provides an ultra-simple solution that helps us get those pictures into albums without draining our time, energy, and wallets." Learn more about it here.

After a six month hiatus from posting, I'm finally getting my act together to post the end of the Tadpole's first year of life. The album has actually been done for a few months...just needed to find the time to photograph the pages and then upload them. Luckily I'm in the middle of a "staycation" this week AND the Tad is napping. Woohoo! Since I'm going to try to bust a bunch of these out, I'll let the pictures and journaling cards "do the talking."

New Year's Day and our annual tradition of interesting food. This year was Filipino and it was delicious! We all enjoyed.

Created by Becky Higgins, "Project Life provides an ultra-simple solution that helps us get those pictures into albums without draining our time, energy, and wallets." Learn more about it here.

February 02, 2014

Since it is done, might as well get through the week of Christmas also...This first page is non-Christmas stuff. He went shopping with me for the first time sitting up in the cart. Once he got used to it, he loved being able to look around. We also got a present on December 26th of him figuring out how to clap his hands. Of course now he uses it to sign "more" instead of the actual sign. At least we know what he means.

We also discovered the joy of long johns in this winter we are having. I can't believe how cold it is this year. (I am also wearing long johns quite a bit!)

Next we have my first insert. My brother got to come out for Christmas and we all enjoyed Christmas Eve at my parents house...feeding the donkeys, making exotic "creme brulee french toast" breakfasts, and even enjoying a blow up yard toy inside the house (see cold winter comment above!). To round out this insert, I also included a shot of Tadpole enjoying his gift from Santa...

Next we have the stocking opening, another shot of the donkeys, playing with a snow globe, and just playing in general...

Presents and fun on the Taylor side of the family...

Then quiet Christmas day at home...

And the gifts he received. If you can't read the card below we decided to practice WNWR gift giving. He got something he wanted, something he needed, something to wear, and something to read. Additionally his book was related in subject to the Heifer International gifts we gave this year (a flock of geese and a flock of ducks). Plus, of course, Santa did come and brought him his wonderful walker/rider car...

This first Christmas was a lot of fun. He was old enough to know that it was special, yet young enough that I could manipulate the calendar to our benefit. We'll see if next year goes as smoothly...

Now, to finish up January's pages since we've hit February. I should also mention, this album will finish with his first birthday (party) in a few weeks. However I have enjoyed Project Life so much I am continuing it but with a family* annual album which means I'm doing two albums concurrently right now. Why yes, that does mean it is even easier to get further behind! Luckily I was smart and watched Becky Higgins show how to prep an entire album in advance and realized that I was making this first one a lot more complicated than it needed to be, because of trying to journal every detail of his first year. Going forward, I'm going to enjoy less journaling/more ready made cards and possibly even more ephemera.

*Just because I call it a family album, it will still be mostly Tadpole. 99 out of 100 pictures taken in this family are of him...

Created by Becky Higgins, "Project Life provides an ultra-simple solution that helps us get those pictures into albums without draining our time, energy, and wallets." Learn more about it here.

Baby is down for the night (I hope!) and while some watch football, I'll do a quick blog entry. Here we are at the beginning of December. The little boy got to show off with lots of cookies (from my annual cookie exchange) and play with Papa Billy's trucks.

He also had his photo taken with a very grumpy Santa! and had lots of fun in the bath. Boy does he ever love the bath...water baby to be sure. He played "with" a friend - well actually they do a good job of ignoring each other most of the time. That's the age they are at. He also perfected his "How You Doin'?" pose...

We hit ten months old and really have not had any growth spurts. I look forward and dread the day both when he crosses the 22 pound mark (car seat decisions at that weight...).

Newest favorite toy would be the flashlight and we are starting to spend a lot more time with Grandpa and Nana since they've gotten moved to Tennessee and in their house. Grandpa and Tadpole spend hours together doing a whole lot of nothing. It's the best!

Snowflake cookie this month. Stinker didn't want to cooperate. We probably took 150 or so pictures and this was the best we could do. I definitely pouted!

We started to walk (thanks Grandpa!) and haven't stopped since. While at first he imitated Frankenstein, he has now perfected the Starfish walk - five points out for balance...

Then it was up to Kentucky for a cousin's birthday on Winter Solstice. So much fun (as always), lots of tasty soups and warm pajamas.

A few early presents came through, as you can see he was more interested in the hangers he was carrying than his actual gift. I sure do love them this young!

We did get a shot of all the cousins (plus two honorary ones), they will be named on that blank card. And next up is Christmas week. That spread includes my first inserts...to go along with first Christmas!

Created by Becky Higgins, "Project Life provides an ultra-simple solution that helps us get those pictures into albums without draining our time, energy, and wallets." Learn more about it here.